Kayli Salzano named 2023–25 George Gund Foundation Fellow

Kayli Salzano, former gallery manager at Waterloo Arts, has been selected as the 2023–25 George Gund Foundation fellow. In their previous role, Salzano sought and mounted art exhibitions featuring Northeast Ohio artists and organized public programs to connect visual art with community projects. They implemented a public open call process for generating exhibitions and re-established a gallery committee to assist the organization in collaborative decision-making on behalf of artists and educators.

Prior to this, Salzano worked as project + visiting artist coordinator at Reinberger Gallery where they assisted the director in gallery operations, facilitated a weekly artist lecture series, and maintained the Institute’s collection of artworks. Salzano has additionally worked as an art handler for several exhibition spaces in Cleveland, and they have completed both a gallery internship at Praxis Fiber Workshop and an Artist Leadership Residency hosted by Assembly for the Arts and Cleveland Leadership Center.

Salzano received their Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Cleveland Institute of Art, electing to complete one semester at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia to hone their skills in traditional sculpture. In addition to maintaining a visual arts practice spanning performance, fiber art, and installation, Salzano enjoys cooking, biking, and gardening.

Salzano resides in Cleveland and began their work with the Foundation in early June.

The George Gund Foundation Fellows program, started in 2004, provides an opportunity for civic-minded professionals to work in philanthropy, at a foundation that proudly plays an active role in supporting equity, climate justice, and democracy throughout Greater Cleveland and in organizations, initiatives, and policy deliberations that impact our community. Each fellow, selected from a nationwide pool of applicants, works at the Foundation for two years.